High-schoolers earn CSU scholarships in Colorado natural resources competition
Over $33,000 in scholarships was on the line as sixty Colorado high school students competed in the Colorado Envirothon earlier this month. The natural resources competition was held March 4-5 at the Colorado State University Spur campus in Denver and hosted in partnership with the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts.
To encourage youth to continue pursuing their passions, the scholarships were provided by CSU’s Office of Engagement and Extension, College of Agricultural Sciences, and Warner College of Natural Resources.
Thirteen teams of three to five students put their knowledge and skills to the test across five areas: forestry, aquatics, soil and land use, wildlife, and a current topic, which this year was “Renewable Energy for a Sustainable Future.”
On the first day of the competition, teams were asked to develop a renewable energy plan for Boulder’s city council that would help them achieve 100 percent renewable energy by 2040. The teams were given just three hours to research solutions before delivering a 15-minute presentation to a panel of five expert judges.
At the end of the first day, students participated in a college and career fair to gather information about academic and career opportunities in natural resources.
During the second day of competition, students were tested on each of the five discipline areas and had to use tools and equipment to answer complex questions.
“Envirothon is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for Colorado high schoolers to get a jump on careers in natural resources by connecting with professionals in the field and getting a glimpse into the exciting challenges they get take on in their daily work,” said Mark J. Platten, a CSU extension specialist who also serves as Colorado Envirothon’s director.
“This year, we received a $4,000 grant from the National Conservation Foundation that allowed us to expand our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by covering costs for several teams, resulting in the most diverse Envirothon we’ve held to date,” said Platten, under whose leadership the number of teams more than doubled since 2023.
“Many of the teams are also from rural areas and it’s been a joy to see them at Spur experiencing all the research we have going on,” continued Platten.
Each member of the first, second and third places teams received scholarships valued at $3,000, $2,250, and $1,500, respectively.
“For some of the students who receive scholarships, it can be the thing that allows them to attend CSU and pursue the degree they’ve been dreaming of,” Platten said.
The state title was claimed by Woodland Park High School, whose team will be able to compete in the International Envirothon in New York City this summer, vying for an additional $25,000 in scholarships. Their expenses will be fully covered by the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts.
Del Norte High School took second place and Rye High School, a team competing in the contest for the first time, finished third.
Colorado Envirthon sponsors included the Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Smithfield Foods, Inc. Partners for the annual competition included CSU Spur, CSU OEE, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Colorado State Forest Service, numerous conservation districts, US Forest Service, River Watch, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife